Turnabout Paws
by Yami no Tempest
Summary: It was a gloomy, rainy third and final day when the mysterious package arrived on Phoenix Wright's doorstep. No one thought much of the five stray kittens until Phoenix realized they may have more than one connection to the string of murders that haunted the city.
1. Turnabout Boxes

November 15th  
10:49 PM  
Wright & Co Law Offices

Phoenix slowly shut his office door behind him and slumped down at his desk, pushing his coffee to the corner and flipping through papers.  
"Nick?" Maya asked.  
"You don't look so good."  
Phoenix sighed.  
"To be honest, I feel like crap. I just can't believe it..."  
Maya sighed.  
"Yeah...it's pretty upsetting. I can't get that image out of my mind...I feel sick every time I think about it."  
Phoenix nodded in agreement and let out a huff of irritation. He lifted a hand to his head and dropped the pen he was holding.  
"Nick, you don't look so good." Maya murmured.  
"Maybe you should call it a night and go home."  
Phoenix shook his head.  
"No, no, I'll stay in the office tonight. It's easier. Besides, it's pouring rain."  
Maya sighed.  
"You've been staying up all night ever since Edgeworth's case two years ago. You're gonna make yourself sick. Anyway, I'm gonna head back." she said, grabbing Phoenix's spare house key.  
"I'll see you tomorrow."  
Maya opened the office door, then jumped back in alarm, letting out a small squeak.  
"What's wrong?" Phoenix asked, jumping up.  
Maya pointed to the doorstep, where a box lay. And in that box were five kittens.

* * *

November 16th  
1:17 AM  
High Prosecutor's Office

Edgeworth sighed and pulled out his keys, opening the door to his office and flicking on the lights. He was right away greeted be his puppies, Bullet, and Tank, who were barking and wagging their tails. Edgeworth loved dogs. He always had, and he'd been rather upset when his Akita died the previous month. Which was exactly why he'd taken Missile's extra pups off of Gumshoe's hands. After all, the police only needed so many dogs, and it would've been a shame to see the poor mutts put down.  
"Well, Bullet, Tank." Edgeworth sighed.  
"it looks like we're up against Wright again. Although somehow," he said, patting Bullet while her brother, Tank, whined softly.  
"Something tells me this is no normal murder case."


	2. The First Paws

November 16th  
8:15 AM  
Wright & Co Law Office

Phoenix opened his eyes to see Maya on the floor next to him, a ring of five kittens surrounding him.  
"Maya?" he asked, gently shaking the 19 year old's shoulder.  
Maya yawned.  
"Nick..." she said, half asleep.  
"You're twenty six. You should have a driver's license by now..."  
Phoenix sighed and sat up rubbing his head. He recalled the gory, horrible murders from the past three days, and he bit back tears.  
_How did I get into this mess? _he groaned inwardly, his stomach churning as he remembered the panicked screams and yowls that split through the the air and rang out in Phoenix's ears. Remembered the knife, and the blood.  
The knife.  
The murders all had one thing in common; the victims had all been stabbed to death with the same knife. And when Phoenix and Maya had arrived at the crime scenes, the pale look on Prosecutor Edgeworth's face had told them just how bad things were.  
Phoenix sat up, looking around. One of the kittens, a fluffy white queen, had fallen asleep on Maya's chest, and an orange and white, green eyed tom was stretched out on Phoenix's desk.  
Phoenix sighed and shooed the white queen away, then picked Maya up and moved her onto the spare sofa before going into the other room to change. When he came back out, Maya was sitting on the sofa petting the fluffy white queen and giggling softly.  
"Nick, Fluffy likes me!" she laughed.  
"Fl-fluffy!?" Phoenix asked in alarm.  
"You named the kitten Fluffy?"  
Maya nodded and smile, then paused.  
"Hey Nick? I'm hungry." she said.  
Phoenix sighed.  
"Tell you what." he said,  
"I'll go out and grab us something to eat. What do you want?"  
"Hmm..." Maya started.  
"Well...how about burgers?"  
"B-burgers!? Maya, it's too early for burgers!"  
Maya sighed.  
"Okay, how about donuts?"  
Phoenix nodded.  
"Fine," he agreed  
"donuts."

November 16th  
8:34 AM  
Circle Common Park

Phoenix sighed and winced as he walked into the park and spotted a taped off area.  
"That's where the second third murder took place..." he murmured.  
"I've heard rumors that Edgeworth found the body while he was walking his dogs."  
"It's not just a rumor, Wright."  
_That voice. _Phoenix gulped inwardly before turning around to see Edgeworth holding two leashes with barking dogs on either one.  
"M-Miles!" Phoenix laughed nervously.  
"I-I wasn't, er, expecting to see you here, um, or anything...ehehehe..."  
"Wright, I can think of a million things wrong with what you just said, but I won't even bother listing them all." Edgeworth huffed in annoyance.  
"First off, don't call me 'Miles.' It's just awkward. Secondly, you're never expecting anything. You're totally oblivious to everything around you, not to mention you never think for yourself, so you 'not expecting to see me' comes as no surprise. Then there's..." Edgeworth continued complaining.  
"I thought you weren't gonna list them all, Edgeworth..." Phoenix muttered.  
Edgeworth glared at Phoenix.  
"Anyway, Wright, it's true. Bullet and Tank found the body on Tuesday afternoon." he muttered.  
Phoenix glanced nervously at Edgeworth's dogs.  
"Erm, right...dogs..." he stammered, backing away a few feet.  
_Edgeworth plus dogs equals death...  
_"Wh-what breed are those..._things_ anyway, Mi-er, Edgeworth?"  
Edgeworth rolled his eyes.  
"Wright, you idiot. This is exactly what I was talking about. First of all, if you'd paid any attention at all, not only would you realize that these dogs have the face and tails of a Shiba Inu, but they are also Gumshoe's dog, Missile's, pups. Secondly, if you would kindly open your eyes for a second, you'd notice they have blue merle coats, a trait found only in Australian Shepherds. And then, if you looked at their course, curly fur and lack of shedding, any moron with half a brain could easily identify both Labrador and Poodle ancestry. So, if you'd stop and think for a moment, you'd be able to conclude that the father, Missile, is a purebred Shiba Inu, and the mother was a stray Labrador, Poodle, Shepherd mix! Hell, Wright! Honestly..."  
_...Did he just...analyze his dogs' breeds...that's almost disturbing, in a way..._  
"Um...right...uh, Edgeworth? I hate to be the one to tell you this, but not everyone is as much of a dog freak as you."  
Edgeworth clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes, his face growing red.  
"W-Well, Wright." he countered.  
"We aren't all as stupid and lazy as you."  
Phoenix rolled his eyes.  
"Fine, fine point taken." he sighed  
"Just, call your beasts off before they give me cynophobia."  
Edgeworth narrowed his eyes at Phoenix and gently tugged on the leashes.  
"Bullet. Tank. Heel." he ordered, watching with satisfaction in his eyes as the dogs padded obediently to his side.  
"Wright...I'll see you in an hour..._In_ court."  
And with that Edgeworth spun around, tugging on the leashes, signaling for his dogs to follow, and walked away in the direction of his office.

November 16th  
10;00 AM  
Courtroom No. 2

"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor." Edgeworth's impatient voice rang out across the courtroom, making Phoenix wince.  
"The, er, defense is ready, uh, I guess, Your Honor." Phoenix stammered.  
"OBJECTION!" Edgeworth yelled, a challenging gleam in his eyes.  
"What do you mean 'I guess?'" he demanded, slamming his right hand down on the desk in front of him.  
"You're either ready, or you're not. And honestly, no one gives a damn if you're ready or not; you don't have a choice."  
"OBJECTION! Shut up, Miles! And I do to have a choice. If-"  
"OBJECTION! You do _not _call me 'Miles' in court! Besides, you don't have a choice! Court already started!"  
"OBJECTION! It has not! And why tell me I'm either ready or I'm not if I'm ready either way!?"  
"OBJEC-"  
"ORDER!"  
The judge yelled impatiently.  
"Mr. Wright, Mr. Edgeworth, stop this nonsense at once or it's Contempt of Court for both of you!"  
Phoenix sighed.  
"Yes, Your Honor."  
_This is going to be a looooooooooooooong trial..._


End file.
